Movable seat back



July 26, 1966 J. E. MARTENS 3,262,737

MOVABLE SEAT BACK Original Filed Jan. 25, 62

INVENTOR.

JACK E. MARTENS BY m @J/L ATTO R N EY United States Patent 3,262,737MOVABLE SEAT BACK Jack E. Martens, Gary, Ind., assignor to The AndersonCompany, a corporation of Indiana Original application Jan. 25, 1962,Ser. No. 168,785, now Patent No. 3,104,130, dated Sept. 17, 1963.Divided and this application May 9, 1963, Ser. No. 279,288 3 Claims.(CI. 297-379) This application is a division of my copending applicationSerial No. 168,785, filed January 25, 1962, and now issued as US. Patent3,104,130.

This invention relates to a positionable seat back and more particularlyis directed to the framework and holding or positioning device therefor.

Attention is being given by the automotive industry to the backs of thefront seat of an automobile wherein they may be reclined horizontally.It is also necessary in two-door automobiles to provide for pivotalmovement of the back of the seat from an upright position to a forwardposition whereby passengers are admitted to or from the rear seat.

Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide the structurepermitting the back of an automobile seat to be pivoted backward to areclined position.

Another object of this invention is to provide structure permitting theback to be held in the upright position.

Another object of this invention is to provide for tilting of the backof the seat forward of the upright position to admit passengers into theback seat of a two-door automobile.-

Another object of this invention is to provid a structure whereby theback of the seat pivots about one axis to the reclining position andabout a second axis to the forward tilting position.

Another object of this invention is to provide for a tilting of the backinwardly as it is pivoted forward of its upright position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent afterthe description hereinafter set forth is considered in conjunction withthe drawings annexed hereto.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric front view, partly in section, of thesupporting frame, pivoting mechanism and a holding or position-retainingdevice;

FIGURE 2 is a partial side view of the seat showing the side bracket andthe back in reclined position;

FIGURE 3 is another partial side view of the seat showing the bracketand the back in upright or normal position;

FIGURE 4 is another partial side view of the seat showing the bracketand the back in a tilted forward position.

The structure shown in FIGURE 1 represents the front right-hand orpassenger seat back of a two-door sedan automobile. The drivers seatback would have corresponding parts reversed as to position. Numeral 10indicates generally the frame. The frame has a pair of base portions 12,connected by bar 13, which are adaptable to be secured in position onthe fioor of an automobile. The inside portion of the frame has avertical extension 12' which is provided with a pin 26 for cooperationwith plate structure 24 to pivotally support the back or back rest 18 atone side. The outside portion of frame 12, opposite frame portion 12,has secured thereto a side bracket 14 which includes a base portion 16.This bracket provides a plurality of pivotal supports for the back andwhich will be described more in detail later in this specification.

Back 18 is supported by a frame having upright side portions 20 (onlyone of which is shown) and a tie bar 22 across the bottom. A plate 24 isfixedly carried by one 3,262,737 Patented July 26, 1966 side of theframe 20 for pivotal movement about pin 26 which projects inwardly fromframe 12. A U shaped bracket 28 is fixedly supported on the other sideof frame 20 substantially opposite plate 24. Bracket 28 serves as afastening means for one end of the positioning device to be more fullydescribed, and supports a pin, bolt or stud 44 projecting from the sidethereof. Stud 44 of bracket 28 and aperture 32 of plate 24, disposed onopposite sides of frame 20, are axially aligned.

Side bracket 14 is fixedly supported on one side of frame 12 in anupright position, as shown in FIGURE 1. The true dimensions andproportions of this bracket are fairly accurately shown in FIGURES 2, 3and 4, set-ting forth its geometry.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, an arcuate slot 36 isprovided in the upper portion of bracket 14 and is furtherdefined asbeing located along an are described by the end of a radius R1 swingingabout pivot point 37 near notch or shoulder 38 located on the forwardedge of the bracket. Arcuate guide slot or surface 36 terminates in ends40 and 42, respectively, which limit the extent of arcuate travel of abolt 44 therein. This bolt is fixed to the bracket 28, as most clearlyshown in FIGURE 1, and projects through slot 36 and terminates in a headwhich retains the bolt in operative position within the slot.

Bolt 44, as is evident from the disclosure in FIGURE 1,

is also axially aligned with aperture 32 in plate 24 on the oppositeside of frame 22.

Another arcuate guide surface 46 on the top edge of bracket 14 isdescribed by the end of a radius R2 likewise swung about point 37, andis parallel with the arc of or edges of slot 36. Another arcuate guidesurface 48, defining a rearward part of bracket 14, is described by theend of a radius R3 swung about the center of slot end 40. It can be seenthat arcuate portions 46 and 48 meet at point 50 on bracket 14. Stillanother arcuate guide surface 52 described by the end of a radius R4swings about the center of slot end 40. It can be seen that the lowerpart of arcuate surface 52 terminates at shoulder 38 near the center ofthe radius describing the arcuate slot 36. Surfaces 46 and 52 formjuncture 54 where they meet.

The U-shaped bracket 28 is fixed to frame 20 oppositely disposed fromplate 24 and is adapted to move in close proximity to side bracket 14.As mentioned above, bolt 44 projects from one of the depending portions28' of bracket 28 for operatively arcuate movement in slot 36. Shownisometrically in FIGURE 1 and in elevation in FIGURES 2 through 4, it isto be noted that pins or studs 56 and 58 project from U bracket 28parallel with bolt 44 in sliding proximity or contact with arcuatesurfaces 48 and 52, respectively. Stud 58 extends through both dependingportion or cars 28 of bracket 28 and provide means for pivotallyfastening a positioning or holding device 100 thereto. This holdingdevice will be described more fully later in th specification.

Assuming that the back 18 is in the normal position, as viewed in FIGURE3, it can be seen that bolt 44 abuts slot end 40 in pivotal relationtherewith and that stud 58 is received within shoulder 38 also inpivotal relation therewith. Also note that stud 56 is located adjacentintersection 50 of arcuate surfaces 46 and 48. Back 18 is movable to areclined position by first releasing positioning mechanism and pushingback 18 rearwardly or counterclockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 3. It can beseen that back 18, which carries bolt 44, will pivot about end 40 ofslot 36 and that studs 56 and 58, positioned at a fixed distance frombolt 44, will move along surfaces 48 and 52, respectively, to theposition shown in FIGURE 2. This is the reclined position for back 18which is held in this position by the action of holding mechanism 100.Furthermore, it is to be noted that stud 56 bears against another notchor shoulder 60 at the lower portion of arcuate surface 48 to establishthe limit of backward swinging movement or counterclockwise rotation (asseen in FIG- URES 1-4) of the back 18 and to further hold the back inthe reclined position. The back may, of course, be positioned anywherebetween the extremes of FIGURES 2 and 3 and held from backward movementby holding mechanism 100.

Whenever it is desired to raise back 18 to the upright position, it isonly necessary to move handle 62 forwardly in slot 63 of side plate 14to thereby release the clutch mechanism of holding mechanism 100whereupon back 18 will return by reason of spring 150 to the uprightposition of FIGURE 3. It can be seen that all pivotal movement will bebetween bolt 44 and end 40 of arcuate slot 36 and that this position isassured by reason of studs 56 and 58 sliding along arcuate surfaces 48and 52, respectively.

Whenever stud 58 reaches shoulder 38, stud 56 is positioned atintersection 50 of arcuate surfaces 46 and 48. It will now beappreciated that forward or clockwise movement on back 18, as viewed inFIGURE 3, Will cause back 18 to pivot forward about stud 58 bearingagainst shoulder 38 and that bolt 44 and stud 56 will move arcuatelyforward relative to slot 36 and arcuate surface 46 to the position shownin FIGURE 4. In this last-mentioned position, bolt 44 pivoting aboutstud 58 will come in contact with end 42 of the slot and prevent back 18from moving forward beyond these limits. Back 18 is now in a position toadmit passengers to or from a back of an automobile.

As pointed out previously in this specification, bolt 44 is axially andoppositely disposed from aperture 32 in plate 24. Therefore, it can beseen that as back 18 is moved rearwardly to the reclined position, allpivotal movement will take place along this axis. However, in themovement of the back 18 from the position of FIGURE 3 to that of FIGURE4, it is pointed out that the pivotal movement is about the center ofpin 58 or point 37 which is some distance below and forward of bolt 44and opposite aperture 32. By this olfsetting, it is apparent that back18 will have an inward movement as it is pivoted forward about new pivotpoint 37. Stud 56 riding along arcuate surface 46 retains stud 58 inoperative position against shoulder 38. Back 18 may be returned to theupright position of FIGURE 3 without any manipulation of handle 62 ofholding mechanism 100. Release of holding mechanism 100 permits seatback 18 to be pivoted to the reclined position of FIGURE 2.

Attention is directed to the disclosure in my copending application,Serial No. 168,785, filed January 25, 1962,

now US. Patent No. 3,104,130, for a description of the control mechanismdesignated by the numeral 100 in FIG- URE 1 for holding the back rest inthe desired position.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that variousmodifications may be made in the same without departing from the spiritof the invention; and, therefore,

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact forms,constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts herein shown anddescribed.

I claim:

1. Structure for supporting a positionable back on a base for tiltingmovement rearwardly from a normal position about one axis and forwardlyfrom a normal position about another axis,

said base pivotally supporting one side of said positionable back at asingle pivot,

said base pivotally supporting the opposite side ofsaid positionableback at first and second selective pivots thereby defining dual pivotaxes each being common to said single pivot at said one side,

said first pivot and said single pivot defining the axis about whichsaid back is tilted rearwardly and said second pivot and said singlepivot defining the axis about which said back is tilted forwardly,

said first and second pivots being disposed on a side member of saidbase and cooperatively receiving first and second pin means respectivelyof said back,

a first arcuate guide surface disposed adjacent said first pivot and asecond arcuate guide surface disposed adjacent said second pivot,

said first pin means pivoting in said first pivot and said second pinmeans traveling along said second arcuate guide for stabilizing saidback as it is moved rearwardly from a normal position,

said second pin means pivoting in said second pivot and said first pinmeans traveling along said first arcuate guide for stabilizing said backas it is moved forwardly from a normal position.

2. The structure of'claim 1 wherein said second pivot is locatedforwardly of said first pivot.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein a third pin means of said back isadapted to travel along additional arcuate guide means locatedrearwardly of said first pivot for further stabilizing said back.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

R. B. FARLEY, Assistant Examiner.

1. STRUCTURE FOR SUPPORTING A POSITIONABLE BACK ON A BASE FOR TILTINGMOVEMENT REARWARD FROM A NORMAL POSITION ABOUT ONE AXIS AND FORWARDLYFROM A NORMAL POSITION ABOUT ANOTHER AXIS, SAID BASE PIVOTALLYSUPPORTING ONE SIDE OF SAID POSITIONABLE BACK AT A SINGLE PIVOT, SAIDBASE PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID POSITIONABLE BACK ATFIRST AND SECOND SELECTIVE PIVOTS THEREBY DEFINING DUAL PIVOT AXES EACHBEING COMMON TO SAID SINGLE PIVOT AT SAID ONE SIDE, SAID FIRST PIVOT ANDSAID SINGLE PIVOT DEFINING THE AXIS ABOUT WHICH SAID BACK IS TILTEDREARWARDLY AND SAID SECOND PIVOT AND SAID SINGLE PIVOT DEFINING THE AXISABOUT WHICH SAID BACK IS TILTED FORWARDLY, SAID FIRST AND SECOND PIVOTSBEING DISPOSED ON A SIDE MEMBER OF SAID BASE AND COOPERATIVELY RECEIVINGFIRST AND SECOND PIN MEANS RESPECTIVELY OF SAID BACK, A FIRST ARCUATEGUIDE ARCUATE GUIDE SURFACE DISPOSED ADPIVOT AND A SECOND ARCUATE GUIDESURFACE DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID SECOND PIVOT, SAID FIRST PIN MEANSPIVOTING IN SAID FIRST PIVOT AND SAID SECOND PIN MEANS TRAVELING ALONGSAID SECOND ARCUATE GUIDE FOR STABILIZING SAID BACK AT IT IS MOVEDREARWARDLY FROM A NORMAL POSITION, SAID SECOND PIN MEANS PIVOTING INSAID SECOND PIVOT AND SAID FIRST PIN MEANS TRAVELING ALONG SAID FIRSTARCUATE GUIDE FOR STABILIZING SAID BACK AT IT IS MOVED FORWARDLY FROM ANORMAL POSITION.